With Scherzer on verge of return, Nats are getting healthy

WASHINGTON—As Bryce Harper misses baseball while on the disabled list, many of his Nationals teammates are getting close to being healthy again.

Even with Harper still out with a bone bruise in his left knee and no timetable for his return, the Nationals are about to get some reinforcements. Stephen Strasburg is back on the mound, ace Max Scherzer is expected to return Monday and shortstop Trea Turner and outfielder Jayson Werth aren't too far behind.

Scherzer threw a bullpen session Saturday and will get an extra day to prepare before he pitches against the Miami Marlins a day after Washington's doubleheader with the New York Mets on Sunday. Scherzer last pitched Aug. 13.

The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner is 12-5 with a 2.25 ERA in 24 starts this season. The Nationals hope to have Scherzer headlining a playoff rotation that includes left-hander Gio Gonzalez and Strasburg, who has allowed two earned runs on seven hits over 12 innings in two starts since returning from a right elbow injury.

Werth, who has been out since early June with a bruised left foot, continues to play minor league rehab games and said he feels good. The 38-year-old hopes being out for so long makes him fresher in the fall.

"There's definitely some silver lining to this whole thing," Werth said. "I'm just fortunate enough that I should have enough games under my belt to be ready for a push in October and help the team in any way that I can . ... I'll hopefully be a big part of this thing."